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Working his land, Josey Wales notices his house burning in the distance. He rushes back to witness the murder of his wife and son by a group of renegade Union soldiers known as “Red Legs.” Josey later joins the Confederate Army to seek revenge. As the Civil War wears on, the Confederates suffer defeat. Led by a soldier named Fletcher, the men in Josey’s troop turn themselves in to Union soldiers who promised amnesty and release. However, Josey does not surrender. At the Union soldiers’ camp, Senator Lane attempts to pay off Fletcher for bringing in his men, but Fletcher refuses the money, upset that Lane has not set them free as promised. Fletcher informs Lane that Josey remains at large, and Lane instructs Fletcher and Terrill, a Union soldier who resembles one of the Red Legs who attacked Josey’s family, to track him down. While a Union soldier leads the Confederates in a pledge of loyalty to the United States, other Union soldiers hidden in tents aim guns at the Confederates. Jamie, a young soldier in Fletcher’s troop, points to Josey in the distance as he rides towards the camp, and the Union soldiers open fire at their captives. Josey uses a Gatling gun he finds at the camp to shoot down numerous Union soldiers, then escapes with Jamie, who is now wounded. Lane sends Fletcher and Terrill after Josey. Later, Josey and Jamie cross a river aboard a ferry, along with a traveling elixir salesman. After they have crossed, Fletcher, Terrill, and their men arrive at the other side of the river. Instead of running, Josey watches his enemies board the ferry. Once they are midway across, Josey shoots the ropes guiding the ferry, which sends the men down river. Josey then tends to Jamie, whose wound is getting worse. Suddenly, two men emerge from the forest and hold Josey at gunpoint, aiming to turn him over to the Union for reward money. Jamie tricks the men, however, and he shoots one, allowing Josey to kill the other. Back on their horses, the two head toward the Indian Nations where they plan to take refuge. One evening, Jamie passes away, and Josey sends his body into a Union camp on horseback, thus distracting the soldiers so that Josey can ride by unnoticed. He later meets up with a Cherokee Indian named Lone Watie. Thanks to their shared distrust of the ruling white men, they strike up a friendship. Josey goes to a trading post in order to get Lone Watie a horse. There, he shoots two men sexually molesting an Indian woman who works at the post. Josey takes the men’s horses and the Indian woman, Little Moonlight, then rejoins Lone Watie. Josey and his new companions later arrive in a bustling Texas town. There, Josey encounters Grandma Sarah, a verbose older woman, and her granddaughter, Laura Lee. The elixir salesman, also in town, recognizes Josey and calls out his name, thus getting the attention of a group of Union soldiers. Josey and Lone Watie kill the soldiers and escape, leaving Little Moonlight behind, though she eventually catches up. Fletcher and Terrill continue their pursuit, throwing off a group of bounty hunters who also seek Josey. Riding along with Lone Watie and Little Moonlight, Josey spots a wagon train ransacked by a group of Comancheros. Among those captured by the men are Grandma Sarah and Laura. Watching from the hillside, Lone Watie falls down, and the Comancheros take him captive as well. Josey pretends to surrender to the Comancheros but opens fire instead, saving the two women and Lone Watie. Grandma Sarah tells of her now-deceased son’s ranch, and they all ride toward it. Along the way, they stop in Santo Rio, a town largely deserted except for a few remaining residents. There, Josey identifies himself to two bounty hunters who are searching for him. Josey kills one of the bounty hunters and escapes. Arriving at the ranch, Josey’s group cleans up and settles in. One day, after riding into town with two locals, Lone Watie returns injured, informing Josey and the others that the two men were captured by Ten Bears, a great Comanche war chief. Josey rides to the Indians in hope of rescuing the men and making peace. With his honesty and sincerity, he succeeds on both accounts. That evening, Josey and his companions celebrate with dancing and music. Laura offers Josey a watch chain she braided from her own hair. Meanwhile, in Santo Rio, Fletcher and his group learn of Josey’s whereabouts at the ranch. The next morning, Josey wakes up in bed with Laura. Despite their newfound connection, Josey decides that he must move along. Before he can leave, however, Terrill and Fletcher’s group arrives. Josey’s companions take up arms from inside the house, and a gunfight ensues. Terrill is injured and rides away. Josey, also shot, goes after him. They arrive in Santo Rio, and Josey remembers the massacre of his wife and son as he corners Terrill. Out of ammunition, Josey takes Terrill’s sword and uses it to kill him. Afterwards, Josey stops in at the bar, where the townsfolk hide Josey’s identity from the Texas Rangers who are there looking for him, instead telling the lawmen that Josey was killed. Josey recognizes Fletcher in the corner of the bar as well, but Fletcher goes along with the deceit. The Texas Rangers leave after one of the men signs an affidavit confirming that “Josey Wales” is dead. Fletcher addresses Josey as if he is a stranger, asserting that he plans to track Josey down in Mexico, in order to tell him that the war is over. Josey then rides away.